Preparation of Artificial Pavement Coarse Aggregate Using 3D Printing Technology

Abstract

Coarse aggregate is the main component of asphalt mixtures, and differences in its morphology directly impact road performance. The utilization of standard aggregates can benefit the standard design and performance improvement. In this study, 3D printing technology was adopted to prepare artificial aggregates with specific shapes for the purpose of making the properties of artificial aggregates to be similar to the properties of natural aggregates. Through a series of material experiments, the optimal cement-based material ratio for the preparation of high-strength artificial aggregates and corresponding manufacturing procedures have been determined. The performance of the artificial aggregates has been verified by comparing the physical and mechanical properties with those of natural aggregates. Results indicate that using 3D printing technology to generate the standard coarse aggregate is feasible, but its high cost in implementation cannot be ignored. The 3D shape of the artificial aggregate prepared by the grouting molding process has a good consistency with the natural aggregate, and the relative deviation of the overall macro-scale volume index of the artificial aggregate is within 4%. The average Los Angeles abrasion loss of artificial cement-based aggregate is 15.2%, which is higher than that of diabase aggregate, but significantly lower than that of granite aggregate and limestone aggregate. In a nutshell, 3D printed aggregates prepared using the optimized cement-based material ratio and corresponding manufacturing procedures have superior physical and mechanical performance, which provides technical support for the test standardization and engineering application of asphalt pavements.

Sustainable Recycling Techniques of Pavement Materials

“…control the homogeneity of the coarse aggregate quality. Li et al [4] propose using 3D-printing technology to generate standard aggregate models, explore the feasibility of a direct preparation of standard aggregates using 3D-printing technology from the technical index and economic perspectives, and clarify the development direction of artificial aggregates. Through a series of indoor material tests, a cement-based material suitable for preparing high-strength artificial aggregates was developed, and a set of preparation processes was determined.…”